Thunderstruck
by Tori Bradley
Summary: COMPLETE...No matter what life throws at you, you have to believe in love...
1. wake up call

The waves pounded the sand as Tori ran around in a light blue sundress. Her feet hardly touched the ground as she ran away from the person who was trying to catch her. She wanted him to catch her, but she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of capturing her. A large smile spread across her face as she felt two strong arms encircle her waist.  
  
Her capturer playfully tackled her to the ground and positioned himself over her. It was then that she finally got a good look at him...deep brown eyes, gorgeously tanned skin, and the most incredible smile she had ever seen.  
  
"Blake," Tori whispered. He nodded and leaned towards her.  
  
"Tori... I ..." he began.  
  
"Yes," she prompted.  
  
"I...I predict clear skies tonight with rain moving in later in the week."  
  
"What?" Tori asked. It was then that she opened her eyes and realized that she was in her room being woken by her radio alarm. "Damn...right at the best part too," she said as she swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood, cracking her back in the process.  
  
She stretched and went out into her small kitchen where she prepared her usual routine before she would meet the others at Ops. She put on a pot of water and prepared her tea. She flipped on the news and waited for the water to boil.  
  
It was then that she was hit with a reality shock. Lothor was gone...the news reported that the rangers had defeated him.  
  
She sank onto her couch. After a year of the same routine, she had nearly forgotten about the events that had happened yesterday. She, Shane, and Dustin had defeated Lothor, their school was back, and they had graduated and become teachers.  
  
The teakettle went off and she ran into the kitchen to remove it from the burner. "I can't believe I'm up when I don't have to be...this is too weird," she said out loud. Regardless, she poured her tea and settled down to do her usual light workout before heading out to the academy.  
  
She sipped her tea and sat on the floor in a straddle position and went through the simple stretching/yoga motions as her mind wandered.  
  
That dream had come to her again...just her and Blake, alone on the beach...and just as he was about to kiss her she woke up. Ever since he had blown into her life she had been having similar dreams and it wasn't until yesterday that she truly understood what they meant.  
  
She loved him. Not some schoolgirl crush, but the honest to goodness real thing. Yesterday had confirmed it tenfold. When he and Hunter seemingly exploded with the Thunder Megazord, her heart plummeted at the same time.  
  
Ever since the day he had saved her and betrayed her, she knew that her heart belonged to him and only him. Something deep within her just knew that he was 'the one.'  
  
Reaching down, she stretched her calves and sat up, taking another long sip of her tea.  
  
Today was going to be interesting to say the least. Blake had told her that he was going to start his racing career, meaning that he would be leaving...  
  
Shaking her head, she stood, picked up her tea and sat on the couch. Why did he have to leave? Everything just got back to the way it should have been. She knew he liked her. He had told her so not too long ago...maybe he even loved her...  
  
Tori sank deeper into the soft cushions and instantly saddened as she thought about him leaving her like everyone else in her life had.  
  
Her mother had been killed in a freak car accident when she was only three...then almost two years ago, her father had passed away due to a sudden heart attack. It was then that she enrolled in the academy with Dustin and Shane to try and get her mind and her life back in order.  
  
Now she was faced with losing someone else she loved, and that thought nearly knocked her over.  
  
The ringing of her phone brought her back to reality. "Hello?" she said as she picked up.  
  
"I guess you forgot we kinda saved the world yesterday too," Shane said on the other end. Tori laughed a little.  
  
"Yeah, but let me guess, Dustin's still dead to the world?"  
  
Shane smiled and looked over to his roommate who was sleeping on the couch. "Yeah, but he actually got up with me this morning and then found out. He's crashed out on the couch."  
  
"Wish I could get back to sleep," Tori said. "I don't know what to do."  
  
"Well then I guess it's a good thing I called. I was going to go for a run. You wanna tag?"  
  
Tori smiled. "Sure, I'm all over it. I'll be over in a few." Shane agreed and they hung up.  
  
"Hunter, wake up," Blake said as he hit his brother. Hunter groaned and rolled over.  
  
"Dude, it's like...way too early to be up," Hunter said sleepily.  
  
Blake grinned- his brother was NOT a morning person. "Hunter, it's not THAT early. Come on! I need to get to the track and get some laps in."  
  
"Call Dustin," Hunter grumbled as he pulled the covers over his head.  
  
Blake shook his head. "I already did, bro. He's meeting us there."  
  
Hunter groaned and realized that he was fighting a losing battle. "Alright, alright I'm up." He got up and went to get his gear together. Blake smiled. He was going to miss his brother to no end when he left.  
  
Racing was a huge part of his life, but after all that had happened to him in the past year, he had SO many reasons to stay. One of the main reasons being the feeling he had for the only female member of the team.  
  
From the moment he saw her, he instantly fell in love with her. Never before had he believed in love at first sight, but after seeing Tori, his entire outlook had changed. She was the one thing in his life that was always constant. She was always there for him, no matter what.  
  
Even when Lothor had manipulated him and Hunter, she had stuck by and defended him to the others. It killed him that he had to lie to her, but he was overjoyed when she forgave him.  
  
Now he was faced with a decision...stay with his newfound family, or go off and race professionally. Racing was not the only thing he could do. He could work at the academy, or just race around locally. The money would be good, but nowhere near the factory money he could rake in if he went.  
  
Sighing, he grabbed his gear when Hunter came out of the bathroom ready to go. Hunter slumped out the door with Blake following him. He had to clear his head and decide where his heart truly lay...  
  
Tori sprinted to the front door of Shane and Dustin's house that they rented from Dustin's dad with Shane finishing closely behind her. "Beat you!" she said as she tried to catch her breath.  
  
Shane stopped. "Yeah," he said panting. "Good run." Tori smiled and walked over to her van. She grabbed a backpack and slung it over her shoulder.  
  
"You care if I clean up here?" she asked.  
  
"Not at all. You know where everything is," Shane said. They both made their way into the house. "You can use the upstairs shower. I'll use the one down here." Tori smiled and headed upstairs.  
  
The downstairs bathroom had a stand-up shower, while the upstairs one had a tub. Tori opened her bag and took out her spare towel and shampoo that she usually took for the beach. She heard the shower downstairs turn on, and started hers. Moments later, she stepped into the warm stream of water and began to wash.  
  
Dustin walked into the house a few minutes later with Hunter and Blake in tow. All three were pretty messy, but Blake was the worst off. He had taken a turn too fast and fell over, getting a face full of dirt in the process. It was a move he had done a million times, but he found that he couldn't stay focused.  
  
His face was lightly shaded with dirt that he couldn't get off at the track. The guys all saw Tori's van in the driveway. "Where do you think Shane and Tori are?" Hunter asked. Dustin took out some bottles of water and handed them out.  
  
"Don't know. Maybe in the backyard," he answered. Blake tasted dirt in his mouth when he took a sip.  
  
"Ah! Dude, I seriously need to get cleaned up," he said. Dustin listened and heard the shower running.  
  
"You can use the bathroom upstairs. Sounds like Shane's taking a shower down here," he said. Blake put the water down and headed upstairs.  
  
With both showers going, none of them heard the upstairs one turn off...  
  
Blake walked upstairs and went down the hall to where the bathroom was. The door was closed, but he didn't even think to knock. Shane was downstairs and Tori was in the backyard for all he knew. He opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks...  
  
Tori opened the curtain, and was reaching for her towel when the door opened. She snapped up straight and her eyes went wide when she saw Blake staring back at her. Almost as quickly as he arrived, he walked out again and shut the door.  
  
Tori grabbed her towel and stood in a state of shock for a moment...'Holy shit,' she thought to herself.  
  
Blake closed the door and leaned against it...'Holy shit.' 


	2. opening up

Blake stood stiff against the wall. The naked image of Tori was still fresh in his mind. Her perfect skin glistening with water... He snapped back to reality and shook his head.  
  
'I have to get out of here,' he said to himself. Without a second thought he ran downstairs and grabbed his bag.  
  
Dustin and Hunter were sitting around the kitchen table when they saw Blake race down the stairs. "Dude, what's going on?" Dustin asked.  
  
"I, uh, I think I'm going to go home and get changed...ya know...work and stuff. Kelly doesn't like a messy staff," Blake stuttered. He ran out the door just as Shane emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel.  
  
"Dude, Kelly said we had the day off today," Dustin said. Hunter was about to respond when Shane cut in.  
  
"Hey guys," he said.  
  
"Hey, bro. Just came from the track," Hunter said. "We're totally wiped out."  
  
"I hear that. Tor and I just went for a run."  
  
"Where is she anyway?" Dustin asked.  
  
"Upstairs taking a shower. She should be out in a minute, I thought I heard the shower turn off a little while ago," Shane said as he retreated to his room.  
  
Dustin and Hunter sat there with stunned looks on their faces. It slowly began to come to them...Tori was upstairs taking a shower...Blake went up to get washed up...Blake ran out nervously...  
  
'Oh my God,' Tori said as she stood in the shower with her towel wrapped protectively around her. She came to grips with what had just happened. It had only last for a moment, but Blake had in fact seen her...all of her.  
  
Nervously, she stepped out of the tub and walked over to the door. Making sure it was locked, she began to get dressed in her spare clothes. How could she face him?  
  
"Damn it," Tori muttered under her breath. "Why don't I ever think to lock the door?" She brushed her hair straight and knew that she had to get out before the others found out. 'What the hell was he doing here anyway?' she thought as she gathered her things and headed downstairs.  
  
Shane by now was out and on the phone with Cam, while Hunter and Dustin waited for Tori to emerge from upstairs.  
  
She stopped short when she saw the looks she was getting from Dustin and Hunter. Shane hung up. "Hey, Cam's going to need a lot of help...Ops is completely trashed."  
  
The look Dustin and Hunter were giving Tori sobered to sadness when they recalled the state of their base. Tori let out a deep breath. "Well then I think we should get over there and help." Without another word she made her quick exit and waited for the others to join her.  
  
She had to get her mind off this...and find a way to talk to him without blushing...  
  
Shane, Dustin, and Hunter all followed after her. "What's up with her?" Shane asked.  
  
Dustin and Hunter just shrugged and they all walked out after her.  
  
At Ops, Cam was trying to pick up the small pieces of debris that he could find. It was Saturday, and the academy was virtually deserted. "Do you need any help Cameron?" Sensei asked as he came in from the secret entrance.  
  
Cam threw a piece of the wall over into a pile. "Thanks dad, but the others should be getting here shortly." As if on cue, Shane, Dustin, Tori, and Hunter came down the stairs equipped with trash bags and a few plastic tubs.  
  
Everyone's faces paled when they stumbled over the rubble that covered the once flawless floor.  
  
"Thanks for coming guys," Cam said. Tori walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulder.  
  
"We're a family Cam...this is our home," she said smiling. Her mind was on one thing- restoring the place where she embraced her destiny and learned several lessons in life.  
  
"Yeah, man. We're all here to help," Hunter added. Sensei smiled. He knew he should leave this to them...but he noticed that someone was missing.  
  
"Were is Blake? He should be here as well, don't you think?" Sensei asked.  
  
Tori backed away from Cam and began to shove things into her garbage bag. Dustin and Hunter gave each other a leery glance.  
  
Hunter cleared his throat. "I dunno. He said he had to go home and change. He got pretty roughed up at the track." At that Tori grew concerned.  
  
"Is he alright?" she asked.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
They all turned to see Blake, dirt free, come down the stairs. "I, uh, decided to get changed and then headed back over to Dustin's. You guys weren't there so I figured you'd be here," he said. The entire time he spoke, he tried to avert his eyes from Tori.  
  
Tori watched as he fidgeted nervously while he spoke. When he was finished, she threw him a bag and continued her work silently. Blake caught it and didn't say anything as he picked up the small pieces of wires and tiles.  
  
Sensei excused himself as he sensed tension in the air. The others too noticed the vibes coming from their teammates. "Alright, hold on," Shane said. Both Tori and Blake stopped and faced him and the others. "What's going on here?"  
  
Tori shot a look over to Blake who looked back down to the ground.  
  
"Dude, what the hell is going on with you two?" Shane asked again.  
  
There was a long pause as both blue rangers hung their heads. Neither one of them wanted to talk about it...  
  
"I, sort of, walked in on her...in the shower," Blake got out.  
  
Dustin and Hunter's eyes all went wide, while Shane tried to suppress a laugh. Cam just stood there dumbfounded before he took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.  
  
Finally Shane couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. That set Hunter and Dustin off, which then caused Cam to laugh. Tori threw her bag down and ran out, hitting all four guys in the process.  
  
"I find nothing funny about this," Blake said. "I have to talk to her," he said as he ran out after her.  
  
Tori reached the lake behind the academy and ran out onto it. Closing her eyes in deep concentration, she just stood there, absorbed in her own thoughts.  
  
She was more embarrassed than anything. The thought of Blake seeing her was shocking, but maybe it wasn't all that bad. The thought had crossed her mind a few times about the two of them seeing each other...but she quickly placed those thoughts out of her head.  
  
He didn't mean it- she knew that. And she also knew that he would never do anything to hurt her intentionally. She stayed on the water while she contemplated her next move.  
  
Blake ran out and knew where to go. He ran to the back and he found her standing on the water, perfectly in tune with her element. Careful not to break her concentration, he concentrated his powers and created an aura of light around him.  
  
Tori sensed someone behind her and turned to see Blake concentrating. She made her way back to him and stepped off the lake to face him. They were silent for a moment before Tori spoke.  
  
"Thanks, for, um, not breaking my concentration...I already had one shower today," she said, instantly regretting it.  
  
"Yeah, I know," he replied. At that Tori blushed three shades of red. "Look Tor, I never meant to-"  
  
Tori stopped him by placing her hand on his arm. "I know. I shouldn't have left the door unlocked," she said.  
  
Blake smiled and placed his other hand over hers. "Am I forgiven then?" he asked. Tori couldn't turn down his smile.  
  
"Yeah. Just don't EVER do it again," she said. Blake agreed and squeezed her hand.  
  
"We should probably get back," he said. Tori agreed, but she really didn't want to go. She wanted to spend more time with him. They began walking back to ops where they found the guys trying to lift one of the pillars back to its rightful position.  
  
They jumped in immediately and soon the pillar was set back in place. Shane, Hunter, Cam, and Dustin couldn't help but notice how Blake and Tori were getting along again, and they all smiled.  
  
The rest of the day was spent cleaning up as best they could. None of them spoke about what had happened, and soon all of the debris was gone. The wall panels, the table, and the super computer would take months to fix properly.  
  
They were clearing out the last of it when Blake stumbled across the picture of Cam, Sensei, and Miko when Cam was a baby. The frame was broken, but the photo was intact. Cam came over and Blake handed him the picture.  
  
"Thanks," he said wistfully. Blake knew all too well what Cam was going through.  
  
"You miss her?" Blake asked gently.  
  
"Yeah...what I remember of her anyway," Cam said smiling. Tori walked over and placed a hand on Cam's shoulder.  
  
"It's okay Cam. At least you still have your dad," she said sadly. Cam nodded his head and walked back over to the bookshelf where he tried to salvage the remaining scrolls.  
  
Blake heard the tone in her voice. "Tor? You alright?"  
  
Tori turned to him with watery eyes. "Yeah...I just miss my dad sometimes."  
  
Blake's face was in shock for a moment before he decided to continue. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
The other guys had left by now with the garbage, and Cam followed them soon after. "He died a couple of years ago...heart attack." Blake placed his hand over hers.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he said. Tori squeezed his hand.  
  
"Me too." They walked out of Ops, not realizing their hands were still joined. 


	3. dinner date

Blake walked with Tori out onto the academy grounds where they saw the others heading out the secret entrance. "What about your mom?" Blake prodded.  
  
Tori's expression turned to one of instant sadness again... "She was killed in a car accident when I was really little. I don't really remember her."  
  
Blake stopped, causing Tori to stop as well. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. Tori gave him a weak smile. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"  
  
"Shane, Dustin, and Cam already know...there was never really a good time to lay all my family stuff on you and Hunter. Especially since you guys lost your parents too," she said. "I didn't want to drudge up any bad memories for you guys...not to mention, I'm still not too comfortable talking about it."  
  
Blake pulled her in for a hug, catching them both off-guard for a moment. Tori wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me."  
  
Tori smiled and gently pulled away from him. "Thanks for listening," she replied. Dustin then popped back through the portal and smiled at the sight.  
  
"Hey! I hate to break this up, but the van's leaving!" he hollered as he jumped back through.  
  
Tori's eyes went wide as she turned to the entrance. "Hey! That's my van!" she streaked off with Blake following right behind her, smiling as he went.  
  
A dinner was set up by Sensei for the rangers at a beautiful outdoor restaurant that was right on the beach that night. The dress was casual and the rangers all met at Shane and Dustin's house before heading over. All the guys were dressed similar in either khakis or dress pants with shirts in their respective colors.  
  
They all sat around waiting for Tori. Blake decided that now was a good time to bring up the issue that was constantly screaming for a decision.  
  
"Guys," he said. The others stopped their conversation and looked at him. "I don't think I'm going to go with Factory Blue."  
  
Dustin spit out his soda. "Are you serious? Why wouldn't you?"  
  
"Well, there are a few reason actually...that's why I need you guys' help," he said. The others all paused for a moment before he continued. "I mean, we JUST got our lives back to normal, and I just don't think I'm ready to go yet. I haven't seen Sensei Amino in almost a year, my brother's here, and so are you guys. Like Tori said this morning, we're a family and I don't know about you guys, but I haven't had one of those in a long time."  
  
"You make a good argument," Cam began. "But I detect that there's another factor you're leaving out in all of this." He smirked then and the others picked up on the vibe.  
  
"I wouldn't be lying if I said that she wasn't in the equation," Blake admitted. The doorbell brought them out of their frame of mind and they all knew who was at the door. "We'll finish this later," he said as he rose and straightened out his navy button down shirt.  
  
Blake walked over to the door and opened it. He had to do a double take as he looked at Tori, who was wearing a short light blue, ruffled skirt with a tight white t-shirt and sandals. Her hair was curled and hung in long waves.  
  
Tori grinned nervously as she saw the look on Blake's face. "You alright?" she asked as she moved inside. Blake was speechless, and soon the others found out why.  
  
"Wow," Hunter said as his eyes went wide.  
  
"Tori? Is that you in there?" Dustin asked. Shane punched him in the arm.  
  
"Of course it's me," she said. She saw the looks she was getting from the others and turned to Blake who hadn't said anything to her yet. Secretly she knew what she was doing to them. She never dressed up. "You guys are acting like you've never seen a girl before."  
  
"Sorry," Shane began. "We're just not used to you being all...girlie I guess."  
  
Tori acted like she was hurt. "Well then, if that's the case I'll go throw on my jeans in the car," she said as she turned to leave.  
  
"No," Blake said as he reached out and gently held her arm. "You look great." Tori blushed furiously and the guys took it as their cue to get going. The guys all filed out of the house until Tori and Blake were left. Tori went to the door and smiled when she felt Blake's hand graze the small of her back as he led her out.  
  
"You look great too," she said softly. Blake smiled and they joined the others.  
  
"Oh man, that was awesome," Shane said as the waiter took the last of their dishes away. The night had been wonderful so far. Their were candles lit everywhere and several tables were set up. The sun had long set and the stars were out in full force. There was a small dance floor set up near the outer portion of the area and music was coming from speakers placed around the restaurant.  
  
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for desert," Cam said reaching for one of the menus. The others joined in and soon they were enjoying the sweet treats the waiter had brought for them. Cam, Hunter, and Shane opted for a peanut butter treat, while Tori and Dustin got cheesecake, and Blake got a brownie dish.  
  
"This is so good," Dustin said as he wolfed down his food. Tori took a few bites of hers and looked up across the table at Blake, who was looking at her. Everything was going so great tonight.  
  
Tori couldn't get over how good he looked, staring back at her. His eyes just seemed to shine and she found herself getting completely lost in them. The amount of love she had for him was shown back to Blake in her eyes as he smiled warmly at her.  
  
He took a piece of his desert on his fork. "You wanna taste?" he said as he held his fork over to her.  
  
Tori smiled and leaned in, eating the chocolate off the utensil. Suddenly she felt very hot inside. Blake pulled the fork back and smiled as he watched her reaction.  
  
"It's really good," she said. She couldn't get over the small little things he always did to make her feel this way...whether he realized he was doing it or not. She took a piece of her cheesecake and offered it to him in the same way.  
  
Blake obliged and ate off the fork, smiling as she pulled it back. "Wow," he said as he chewed. He wasn't just talking about the cake. He wanted her so badly. Ever since their little incident this morning, he couldn't keep his mind on track. He loved her so much and wanted to show her in everyway he could.  
  
Dustin leaned over to Shane. "Okay, dude, are you guys seeing this?" he asked as he saw Tori and Blake flirt shamelessly.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Hunter whispered.  
  
Shane just shook his head and they all finished their deserts. A few couples rose from their tables as the music around them grew a little louder. Shane smiled and looked over to Tori. "Hey Tor? Wanna dance?" he asked.  
  
Tori smiled and nodded her head. Shane rose and helped her from her chair. "When did you get so polite?" she asked as they walked onto the floor.  
  
"Hey, I'm not a total loser. I do have manners you know," he said. He put his arms loosely on her waist and she put hers on his shoulders. "So what was all that back there?"  
  
Tori blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.  
  
"Right...And all that desert swapping and giggling was my imagination." Tori smiled.  
  
"Okay, I give... I really like him."  
  
"And the problem with that is?"  
  
"Well, what's going to happen when he leaves? I really want to be with him- you know that. But I don't want to be...I dunno. Selfish I guess." Shane laughed.  
  
"Dude, you're so gone."  
  
"Yeah...I guess I am," she said smiling as the music played around them.  
  
Blake watched as Tori and Shane got up and headed to the floor. His eyes never left her and Hunter couldn't help but notice.  
  
"Earth to Blake," he said. Blake snapped out of his trance and turned to three sets of eyes looking at him.  
  
"What?" he asked defensively.  
  
"If you don't get some balls and tell her how you feel then you're going to regret it forever," Dustin said.  
  
"For once I agree with Dustin," Cam said. "You guys were meant to be together and we all know you love her."  
  
Blake sighed. "It's a little more complicated than that Cam...I can't exactly tell her that straight out."  
  
"Why not?" Dustin asked. Blake looked over to his brother who understood all too well what Blake meant. He too had experienced this before.  
  
"We'll explain later," he said. Blake sent him a silent 'thank you' and turned his attention back to Tori who was laughing. They briefly locked eyes for a moment and he smiled. Blake got up and made his way over to them.  
  
When he was out of earshot, Dustin asked the question again. "Why can't he tell her?"  
  
Hunter sighed and fiddled with his napkin. "Because that's the last thing we said to our parents before they passed away." Cam and Dustin's faces fell a little. "We can't even say it to each other...I guess it's a mindset- you say it to someone and you'll lose them."  
  
"But Hunter, there's got to be some way around this," Cam said.  
  
"It takes time and trust Cam. I'm just know beginning to feel comfortable with it."  
  
"What turned you around?" Dustin asked as he sipped his water.  
  
Hunter got a small smile in his face. "I saw our parents in the cavern and knew that they would always be with us, no matter what." The others smiled and watched as Blake made his way up to Shane and Tori.  
  
The song ended and another began as Blake walked up the steps to the floor. He tapped Shane on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked.  
  
Shane grinned and handed Tori's hand to him. Tori smiled and thanked Shane. Blake held her left hand in his right, and splayed his other hand on the small of her back. Tori placed her right arm around his neck and smiled.  
  
"You've done this before?" she asked laughing.  
  
"A few times," he replied as he pulled her in closer, their clasped hands resting between their bodies. She smiled. It felt so good to be in his arms and he loved having her there. They both found it hard to breath suddenly and rested their heads together as they let themselves get lost in the music...  
  
When I fall in love It will be forever Or I'll never fall in love  
  
In a restless world Like this is Love is ended before it's begun And too many Moonlight kisses Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun  
  
When I give my heart I give it completely Or I'll never give my heart  
  
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too Is when I fall in love with you...  
  
The song ended and Tori found that her head had somehow managed to rest on Blake's shoulder. She smiled when his grip loosened a little, but not completely. She didn't want the night to end, but she knew the restaurant was closing soon and the guys were probably ready to go.  
  
"Blake?" she asked ash they were walking from the floor with their hands still loosely clasped.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you want to take a walk on the beach? I mean, if you're tired that's okay-"  
  
"I'd love to," he said grinning. Tori smiled back and they reached the others.  
  
"You guys all set to go?" Shane asked. Tori handed him her keys.  
  
"We're going to stick around for awhile. You can take them home and I'll come by later to get the van," she said.  
  
"And how do you plan on getting back to our house?" Dustin asked.  
  
"We'll find a way," Blake said. The guys just grinned and they all went off their separate ways.  
  
The beach was calming and beautiful as they walked down the stretch of sand. They walked around a small rock formation and saw the stars twinkling above them. They could still hear the faint music coming from the restaurant.  
  
"Tonight was fun," Tori said as she took her sandals off. Blake watched her and saw her hair shining in the light.  
  
"Yeah...I had a great time." He paused for a moment and prepared himself for what he said next. "Tor, I have to do something right now before I lose my nerve," he said nervously.  
  
Tori looked at him surprised and turned her body to face his. "Okay..." she said laughing a little. Blake edged closer to her and placed his hand on her back again, pulling her to him.  
  
Her breath left her for a moment, but then her heart leapt when she realized what was happening. She placed her hands around his neck and their lips met in a tender, soft exchange that they held for several minutes without moving.  
  
They parted briefly and caught their breath. "I'm glad you did that," she breathed. "I've wanted to kiss you for the longest time."  
  
Blake ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her cheek. "Me too," he said. They smiled and leaned in again, going deeper than they had before. All the love and emotion they held for each other was released then as they continued their passionate kisses as a song played softly in the background...  
  
Looking at the pages of my life  
  
Faded memories of me and you  
  
Mistakes you know I've made a few  
  
I took some shots and fell from time to time  
  
Baby, you were there to pull me through  
  
We've been around the block a time or two  
  
I'm gonna lay it on the line  
  
Ask me how we've come this far  
  
The answer's written in my eyes  
  
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
  
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more  
  
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
  
When I look at what my life's been comin' to  
  
I'm all about lovin' you  
  
I've lived, I've loved, I've lost, I've paid some dues, baby  
  
We've been to hell and back again  
  
Through it all you're always my best friend  
  
For all the words I didn't say and all the things I didn't do  
  
Tonight I'm gonna find a way  
  
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
  
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more  
  
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
  
When I look at what my life's been comin' to  
  
I'm all about lovin' you  
  
You can take this world away  
  
You're everything I am  
  
Just read the lines upon my face  
  
I'm all about lovin' you  
  
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
  
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more  
  
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
  
When I look at what my life's been comin' to  
  
I'm all about lovin' you  
  
All about lovin' you...  
  
The music ended and they held each other gently. Tori stared at him. This was better than any dream she had ever had. She leaned up against him as they walked back. "Blake...I don't want this night to end," Tori said smiling. Blake stopped and kissed her softly.  
  
"It doesn't have to."  
  
Tori saw the spark in his eyes and knew he was thinking along the same lines she was. They both kissed again and made their way back to Tori's apartment. 


	4. come away with me

The walk back to Tori's apartment was shorter than they thought as they made the way up to her door holding hands. Tori opened the door and led Blake inside. "Nice place," Blake commented as he looked around.  
  
Tori smiled. "Thanks," she said as she yawned. Blake smiled at her. "Sorry."  
  
"Don't be...I'm kind of tired too. Between cleaning up Ops today and then all that food..."  
  
Tori smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm ready for sleep," she said smiling. Blake wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.  
  
"Care if I join you?" Tori smiled and led him down to her room. "Can I take that as a yes?" he asked laughing.  
  
They entered the room and Blake turned her in his arms. "Yes, you can," she said. Blake reached his hand up and cupped her cheek.  
  
"You have no idea how long I've waited for a moment like this with you. Just to be able to hold you," he said as he leaned in and kissed her lips. "And kiss you..."  
  
Tori closed her eyes as he kissed his way down her neck. Her hands reached his back and she spread her hands out over it, clutching his shirt when she felt him reach a sweet spot on her neck.  
  
"I can stop if you want me to," he whispered in her ear.  
  
Tori leaned into him. "I don't want you to stop."  
  
Blake smiled and reached her lips again. Tori placed her hands on his shirt and undid the buttons as they made their way over to the bed, kicking their shoes off as they went. Tori sat on the bed and Blake slowly leaned down onto her.  
  
His hands made their way down to her waist until Tori felt his hands inching towards the bottom of her skirt. She pulled Blake's shirt out from his pants and finished with the buttons. Blake shrugged the garment off and Tori could only stare at the perfect body that met her gaze. His well-toned torso made her entire body hot and she leaned forward to kiss the warm skin.  
  
Blake felt like he would explode with joy right then. Her soft lips grazed his skin and he rolled over so he was lying on his back. He kissed her again, his tongue invading her mouth and reached his hands to the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up slightly.  
  
Tori pulled away from the kiss, breathless, and removed her shirt. Blake reached for her hungrily and undid the clasp of her bra, letting her breasts come into his full view. They both paused, breathing heavily as their bare chests made contact.  
  
They rolled onto their sides and ever so slowly removed their remaining garments. Never before in their lives had either one of them felt so comfortable with another person. There was so much trust, and love within each of them for the other person that they knew there was only one thing that could happen next...  
  
"Better view than this morning?" she asked huskily. Blake smiled at her.  
  
"Much better...although seeing you dripping wet wasn't too bad either,"  
he said as he nibbled on her ear.  
  
They rolled over again so that Blake was lying on her. All the fear he had about confessing his feelings seemed to melt away as he looked down on his blonde goddess. He knew he would never let any harm come to her, and it was then that he truly realized that his love for her was more than anything he had control over.  
  
He reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. "You are so beautiful," he breathed. Tori kissed him again, gently.  
  
Tori looked up at him and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She loved him so much and now she was about to experience something so wonderful and sacred with the person she had always dreamed.  
  
Blake saw her eyes sparkling and kissed her tenderly. "I always knew you'd be my first," Tori said as she looked into his deep brown pools.  
  
"From the first day I saw you, I knew I'd share this with you," he whispered as he edged his way inside of her. They kissed then, a kiss that was so full of desire and longing.  
  
Tori's entire body clenched around him as he plunged deeper until he felt himself fully embedded into her. He pulled out slowly and eased his way back in, running his hand over her breast.  
  
Her hands clung to his back as if for dear life as they increased their speed. Tori's belly spasmed and a tingling sensation filled her body, followed by the most intense pleasure she had ever experienced. Blake felt her tighten around him and reached his climax. His sweat covered body covered hers like a warm blanket.  
  
They both were breathing heavily as Blake fell onto his back with Tori resting comfortably in his arms. Tori laid kisses on his chest and felt his heart beating steadily. She pulled a blanket over them and Blake tightened his grip on her.  
  
"Tor," he said breathlessly. Tori turned her face to him and he caught her lips in a soft exchange. "I love you." The words came off his tongue without hesitation and he watched as a smiled spread across her beautiful face.  
  
Tori thought her heart would explode with pure joy when he uttered those precious words. "I love you too," she replied. They kissed again, tears in both of their eyes.  
  
The kiss was broken and they settled in for the first good night sleep they had had in months...  
  
The first thing that Tori felt was a soreness in her muscles. Then she felt soft breathing on her neck and an arm gently draped around her with a hand resting on her stomach. There was a warm body pressed up against hers, that she realized was completely void of clothing, and a smiled crossed her lips.  
  
Images of she and Blake making love replayed in her mind and she sighed contently. Last night had been everything she had ever dreamed. They had confessed their true feelings at last, and of the first time in many years, they both felt like they belonged somewhere.  
  
A soft breeze blew through the window and Tori began to trace Blake's hand lightly with her fingers. Blake breathed in deeply as he opened his eyes to a forest of flowing blonde hair. She smelled of sweet vanilla and seawater...perfect.  
  
He tightened his arm around her, pulling her body into his. Everything felt so right- like it was always supposed to be this wonderful and magical between them. He had found something to take his fears away, and she was lying in his arms. He had never felt like this for another person before, and he knew that it was right.  
  
Tori smiled and slowly turned herself to face him. Blake smiled and leaned in to kiss her gently on her lips. "Good morning," she whispered against his lips.  
  
"Yes, it is," he said as he kissed her again. Blake sat up a little and Tori rested comfortably against his chest. They held each other and Blake kissed the crown of her head. "How did you sleep?"  
  
Tori grinned and kissed his chest lightly. "Great...you?"  
  
"Better than I have in a long time...I may have to make a habit of this," he said as he tightened his grip slightly. Tori grinned and ran her fingers along his abs.  
  
She smiled slightly as his words hung in the air.  
  
They couldn't make a habit of it...he was leaving in a few days...  
  
"Tor? You alright?" he asked. Tori turned serious and looked into his eyes.  
  
"What's going to happen Blake?" she asked. Blake then knew what she was talking about.  
  
"I don't know," he said truthfully. Tori lowered her head onto his chest and hugged him. "But I don't want this to end...we've waited so long Tor."  
  
"I know...I don't want it to either," she whispered.  
  
A light bulb went off in his head. Between what the guys had told him last night, and what had happened between him and Tori, he came to the conclusion that he could have everything he wanted... all at once... he smiled as the words left his lips. "Come with me."  
  
Tori sat up and looked him straight in the eye, holding the sheets around her. "Are you serious?" she asked in shock.  
  
Blake sat up fully and ran the plan through in his head again. He took her hands in his. "I'm totally serious... see the world...be with me," he said as he looked into her eyes.  
  
Tori was speechless. Her heart and her brain were fighting for a moment, then she looked at him...the man she loved more than anything...the one person who made her feel whole...and she came to a mutual decision within herself-  
  
She smiled at him. "You do realize that Sensei won't be too happy he's losing his resident water expert." Blake's face lit up.  
  
"You mean it? You're really going to come with me?"  
  
Tori leaned in and kissed him firmly, but tenderly. "Blake, I love you and I'll follow you anywhere."  
  
That was it for Blake. He grabbed her in a tight hug and kissed her passionately as they lay back down, smiling as they began to resume their activities from the night before.  
  
"You won't regret this, Tor. I promise...I love you," he said. The words were still fragile in his mind, but felt so natural when he said them to her.  
  
Tori smiled and pulled the covers over them... 


	5. bon voyage

Two days passed and Tori was in her apartment loading boxes and bags to be stored at Shane and Dustin's house. Everything was slowly coming together and she was so happy about it.  
  
Blake had discussed Tori coming with him with his Factory Blue contact and they had hooked everything. They would have an apartment near the track in Houston and they would be given a car for a little while. Tori's van was going to be left with Shane and Dustin.  
  
Sensei was overjoyed to hear that Tori was going with Blake. He saw the instant spark they had together and he would never part them if that was their wish. He was sad to see her go, but he knew that they would both be happy.  
  
Blake was at the track with Hunter right now, but was expected home soon.   
  
She smiled as she thought of her new life and how wonderful it would be with him. The last box was taped and she placed it on top of the others. They would be leaving the day after tomorrow and she was staying at Hunter and Blake's house until then.  
  
The doorbell rang then, and she wiped her hands clean as she went to answer it. A tall man in a black suit greeted her with a small smile.  
  
"Victoria Hanson?" he asked. Tori nodded her head.  
  
"Yes...can I help you?"  
  
He handed her an envelope. "A delivery from Factory Blue Racing." Tori thanked him and opened the envelope that was addressed to her and Blake. Inside was a copy of his itinerary and keys to their apartment.  
  
She smiled and looked out the window where clouds were starting to move in. 'I hope Blake's not out in this weather,' she thought to herself. A smile crossed her face then and she headed out to greet him when he got home.  
  
Night was setting in and a deep thunder could be heard in the distance as Blake walked up to the house with a single white rose behind his back. Hunter was at the Thunder academy for the night, and he wanted to make tonight special with Tori.  
  
He couldn't believe that she had agreed to come with him. He was literally as happy as he had ever been in his life. A crack of thunder followed by sheets of rain caused him to run the rest of the way to the door, just making it inside.  
  
The sight that met his eyes made him smile. Tori was sitting on the couch reading something. She looked up to him and smiled back.  
  
"How was the track?" she asked. Bleak walked over to her and leaned down, kissing her passionately. Tori was out of breath for a moment.  
  
He pulled the rose out from behind his back and handed it to her. "I don't want to talk about the track tonight. We leave the day after tomorrow and I want this time to be special."  
  
"I have no arguments there," she said as she kissed him again. They broke away when he heard a timer go off. Tori stood and handed him the paperwork she had received. "Itinerary," she said as she walked into the kitchen.  
  
Blake looked it over. Houston for three months, then England, Paris, and a possibility of going to Spain. All this was over the span of a year. His contract would be up by then, giving him time to decided what he wanted to do.  
  
Tori took the chicken out of the oven and looked over at him. She was a bit taken aback by the lengthy itinerary. They would be gone from Blue Bay Harbor for nearly a year with a break at Christmas... but they would be together...  
  
She walked out of the kitchen and stood behind the couch, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "you ready for this?" she asked. Blake placed the papers down and pulled her over his shoulder and into his lap.  
  
"I've never been more ready in my life." He kissed her cheek. "And with you there I don't see how I could go wrong." Tori leaned in to kiss him again, when the lights began to flicker.  
  
"Uh oh," Tori said. "Where's Hunter? I hope he's not still out in this."  
  
"He's staying at the Thunder Academy tonight." The lights then went off completely, leaving them in total darkness.  
  
"Well, I guess this isn't turning out like I planned," Tori said as she got up. Blake followed her back into the kitchen where she lit two candles that were on the table.  
  
"You planned all this?" he asked. Tori smiled.  
  
"Well, yeah. I mean tonight pretty much is our last night all alone together before we leave. We have that party tomorrow night at Shane's and then Sensei wants to see us, and-"she was cut off by Blake pressing his lips to hers.  
  
"Thank you," he said when they broke apart. Tori sat him down and went to retrieve the food. "You cooked too?"  
  
"I'm not completely inept to things around the house as you guys like to think," she said. He could see her smiling across the table as they ate in comfortable silence.  
  
They were soon finished and took the candles down to their bedroom. Tori went into the attached bathroom and Blake was trying to fight the urge to sleep. He had been at the track for the past two days straight, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was exhausted.  
  
He stripped down to his boxers and laid down under to covers. The bathroom door opened and Tori came out wearing boxer shorts and a tight tank top- her usual bed attire. She knew he was tired. She could tell by the look in his eyes the moment he stepped through the door.  
  
She crawled into bed and saw that Blake's eyes had drifted shut. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry, Tor," he whispered.  
  
"Don't be," she said. Blake opened his arms.  
  
"Come here...I can't sleep without you." Tori blew out the candles and leaned into his embrace.  
  
"FLIGHT 245 TO HOUSTON TEXAS IS NOW BOARDING," the announcer at the airport said. The following day had passed too quickly and Blake and Tori were leaving.  
  
"Well, this is it," Shane said. Tori made her way down the line, coming to Hunter first.  
  
"Keep him in line, alright?" he said to her. She smiled and moved on to Cam.  
  
"Take care Tor. I know you'll be happy," he said. Tori hugged him and kissed his cheek.  
  
Dustin had tears in his eyes when she came to him. He embraced her tight. "Dude, what am I going to do without you to straighten me out?" At that, Tori's eyes filled with tears and spilled over.  
  
"Dustin," she began, but she couldn't get anything else out as she sniffed back tears. Another boarding call was sounded and Dustin knew he had to let her go. "I love you Dustin," she said as she kissed his cheek.  
  
She came at last to Shane. "I think I'm going to miss you most of all," she said smiling. Shane hugged her tight.  
  
"Enough of the 'Wizard of OZ' stuff Tor," he said. "You're going to have a great time, and we'll be here waiting for you."  
  
"Thanks Shane," she said as they broke away.  
  
"We love you Tor," he said as he kissed her cheek. Tori smiled and wiped her tears as she saw Blake give his goodbyes.  
  
"FINAL BOARDING FOR FLIGHT 245."  
  
The rangers all looked at each other and joined in a brief group hug as friends...as a family. "Have fun out there guys," Hunter said when they broke off. Tori and Blake began to walk to the gate. They handed over their tickets and took one last look at their family.  
  
Their hands met and the boarded the plane together to start their new life...

A/N: Hey all, check out Stormcaller2003, or Storm2003 (same author). The stories are awesome! I'm going on a little vacation tomorrow for the week, but i'll post the next chapter when i get back on friday...till then!


	6. nothing lasts forever

"Wow," Tori said as Blake opened the door of his trailer. Inside was a motocross rider's dream. A full working workshop on one end, and a living room type area at the other, fully adorned with a TV. Blake smiled as he led her aboard.  
  
They had been in Houston for a few days now, and Tori was getting her first glimpse of what Blake was in for. In the few days they had been there, Blake was almost constantly at the track. Tori had kept herself busy by trying to get their apartment in some kind of order. They would only be there for a few months before the tour would be going overseas.  
  
"So, what do you think?" Blake asked.  
  
Tori smiled and sat on the couch. "I think Hunter and Dustin would kill you if they saw all this stuff. They'd want to move in!" she said laughing a little. Blake smiled and leaned in to kiss her when a knock was heard on the door.  
  
"Damn," he muttered as he backed away. "To be continued." Tori smiled and Blake opened the door. "Roger, what's up?"  
  
Roger Hannah walked into the trailer. "Hey Blake," he said as he entered. He smiled at Tori. "You must be Tori. I don't think we've been properly introduced." He held his hand out and Tori shook it.  
  
"Nice set up you have here," she said.  
  
"Thanks. Only the best for the best," he said eying Blake. Blake smiled a little. "But to be the best, you have to train like a pro... and if you don't mind Tori, I need to steal Blake."  
  
Tori stood. "Sure. No problem," she said. Roger left and Tori followed him. Blake caught her arm before she left and pulled her into a sweet kiss.  
  
"See you at home," he said. Tori grinned and headed back to their apartment.  
  
Hours pasts and Blake still hadn't returned from the track. Toori began to worry as the clock changed from PM to AM. 'Where is he?' she thought as she looked out the window. Car lights could be seen coming up the driveway and she breathed a sigh of relief as Blake exited the car and came up the steps to the door.  
  
Tori opened it for him and was surprised to not see his usual smile. She shut the door. "Blake? You alright?" she asked gently.  
  
Blake gave her a small smile. "Yeah...just tired," he said as he walked towards their bedroom. Tori walked in after him and they settled into bed.  
  
"Where were you?" she asked.  
  
"Watching racing videos...Roger thinks that I need a little more work on my jumps and thought that watching old races would help. We've been studying them for hours." Blake closed his eyes and Tori kissed his cheek.  
  
"Goodnight Blake," she said as she rolled onto her side.  
  
Blake sighed. He loved her so much for coming with him. "I'm sorry Tor...I'll...try to be home...on time," he said between yawns. "Love you," he got out before he finally succumbed to sleep.  
  
Tori smiled. "Love you," she said as she too fell asleep.  
  
(((())))  
  
"Blake, you're just not doing as well as we'd like," Roger said. It was past midnight now and Blake felt utterly defeated. "I know you've been pulling extra hours around here, but if you really want this you need to put everything else aside and focus on your racing."  
  
Blake hung his head and wanted nothing more than to go home and hold Tori in his arms. He needed comfort from her tonight.  
  
Roger saw the look in Blake's eyes. "Look, I know this is hard for you, but we're leaving for Europe in a month and you need to buckle down if you want to come with us." Roger left and Blake followed suit shortly after.  
  
In the two months that had passed, Blake had failed to keep his promise to Tori. He was at the track more and more frequently and hated leaving her. Now he was being told that he had to spend more time at the track.  
  
'Damn it!' he cursed in his head. He was tired and run down, but he knew he had to be with Tori tonight. She had been so good through all of this. The lights in the apartment were out when he entered and went down to his room.  
  
Tori was lying on her side facing him with her eyes closed in peaceful slumber. Blake crept over to the bed, stripped himself and climbed under the covers.  
  
Tori felt his hand guide their lips together. The moment they joined, a surge of electricity shot through them. Blake's hand moved to the base of her neck and he held her lips firmly against his. Tori's hand reached out and touched his arms.  
  
"Well this is a nice way to wake up," she said sleepily. She saw the look in his eyes and grew concerned. "What happened? Are you okay?"  
  
Blake sighed and pulled her close. "I really don't want to talk about it right now...right now, all I want is you," he said almost desperately. Tori smiled and kissed him, gently at first, but then it turned to one of full passion.  
  
Blake's mouth opened with Tori's following. Their tongues invaded each other's mouths and they made out for several minutes before Blake reached his hands down to her waist and pulled her onto him. He was now lying on his back with Tori's perfect frame resting on him.  
  
His lips left hers as they trailed down to her neck. Tori was in total bliss as his lips massaged the sensitive flesh. All she could think about was the love she felt for him.  
  
Blake moaned from deep within his throat and Tori arched her back and removed her shirt. Blake smiled down at her.  
  
Both of them moaned lightly as their skin touched. Blake kissed his way down her chest. Tori's eyes closed again and she felt pleasure like none other as his mouth sucked and nipped at her flesh. Blake's pelvis grinded down onto hers and he felt himself growing harder by the minute.  
  
They stopped kissing for a moment and just gazed into each other's eyes. Blake ran a hand down her torso until it came to rest on the small of her back. Tori's hand reached up to his face and she caressed it lightly.  
  
Blake leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss. He eased his way into her. Tori closed her eyes as soft kisses were laid on her cheeks and neck as he slowly made his way out, and then back in.  
  
Blake's body was sweating and his heartbeat was rapidly increasing. Tori felt intense pleasure as he moved within her. She arched up towards him, rubbing her breasts against his chest.  
  
As they continued, Tori felt her entire body tingle as a tidal wave of pleasure covered her from head to toe. She let out a small cry and clung to Blake. Blake felt her tighten around him and found that to be his undoing. He felt his release and poured himself into her, grunting slightly as he did so.  
  
He fell onto her sweating body and found that they both were sweating and smiling. He rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. Tori rolled on her side and rested her head on his chest. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arm around her.  
  
Almost instantly Blake was asleep, but Tori found it hard to fall into slumber. Blake had been spending way more time at the track than she thought he would and hhe was beginning to loose track of things.  
  
Hunter had called earlier that day with news from home, but Blake wasn't there to hear it. It had happened a few times before and Tori couldn't remember the last time Blake had spoken to anyone from home...  
  
Blake pulled her closer to him and she fit perfectly into his frame. A worried look came across her face. Things had to get better before they went overseas...Tori wasn't even sure she wanted to go there anymore. The initial thought of it was exciting, but after seeing what Blake was going through here, she realized that she would just be in the way over there.  
  
After much thought and fighting within herself, Tori came to a conclusion. Blake needed to decide what was more important to him...his family or his career. She knew it wasn't entirely fair, but she couldn't go on like this. It was as if Blake and her were in two completely different worlds... maybe if things didn't change, she would have to make that happen...  
  
(((())))  
  
Tori looked around the apartment she and Blake shared. Two suitcases and a backpack were sitting near the door and tears were threatening to fall from her blue eyes.  
  
Three weeks past by quickly and Tori's thoughts became reality...Blake was fully devoted to racing and was barely home at all. He spent some nights at the track, sleeping in the trailer after racing and training. And when he was home he barely spoke to her. This was not the life Tori thought she was going to be living.  
  
Over the past two days she made the hardest decision of her life...she was leaving. She was going back to Blue Bay Harbor...  
  
It was six in the morning and the sun was just reaching over the horizon when Tori saw the car pull in. Blake had been at the track again. He would come home, shower, change, and then go right back... same as always.  
  
Blake opened the door and was surprised to see Tori waiting for him. He looked around her and saw the bags. Fear gripped him.  
  
"What's going on here? Why are you packed?" he asked as he shut the door.  
  
Tori took a deep breath. "I'm...going home Blake," she said as she gathered her bags.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
Tori couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Because...because I can't live like this anymore... you're never home, you barely talk to me anymore..." she trailed off.  
  
"I've just been really busy at the track. You know that Tor. You know how much this means to me," he defended himself.  
  
"I know how important this is to you, but you seem to forget about the other important things in your life."  
  
Blake couldn't believe she was saying this. He began to pace a little, his temper slowly rising.  
  
"You know why I'm doing this right? To have a good life, a good future."  
  
"But you have a good life already... you just seem to have forgotten about it."  
  
"What are you talking about? I haven't forgotten anything."  
  
Tori was now getting angry. Blake wasn't listening to her. She knew he was stubborn...maybe this would get him to snap out of it...  
  
"You're a great racer Blake. But you forget that you're also a friend, a brother, and most importantly you're a ninja."  
  
"I'm still all those things," Blake protested.  
  
"Really? When's the last time you spoke to Hunter? Or Shane, or Cam, or Dustin? Or me for God sakes! Do you even remember what your thunderblade looks like?"  
  
"That's not important now Tor."  
  
Tori froze. "Not important? Not important! We're your family Blake! Being a ninja brought you everything and you're just going to turn your back on it?"  
  
Blake was now furious. "Being a ninja has brought me nothing... only grief."  
  
Tori's fist connected with his face before he could blink. She grabbed her last bag and walked to the door.  
  
"Brought you nothing, huh? Well that's exactly what you have now...nothing." She opened the door and turned back to him. "I'm sorry I brought you grief. Have fun with your bike."  
  
She slammed the door and was gone, leaving Blake alone and pissed off. He ignored the burning sensation in his cheek and took out his aggression on the nearest wall. 


	7. hitting home

"So wait- what?" Shane tried to understand Tori. She was crying and could barely make the words come out.  
  
"I left Shane...I need a ride home from the airport," she got out.  
  
"Where are you right now?"  
  
"Waiting for my bags. Just please, get here," she said as she wiped her eyes.  
  
"Alright, I'll be right there," Shane said as he hung up. Dustin, Cam, and Hunter were standing nearby. They were all gathered at Storm Chargers. Hunter was staring at him.  
  
"Who was that?" he asked. Shane sighed and pulled the keys to Tori's van out of his pocket.  
  
"Tori...she's at the airport."  
  
The guys were all in a state of shock for a moment.  
  
"Is Blake with her?" Dustin asked. Shane shook his head 'no.'  
  
"Oh shit," Hunter muttered. He knew how Blake could be when he was angered.  
  
Shane sighed and hopped in the van. "I'll be back in a while. Dustin, you think you guys could bring her stuff back to the apartment?" The others nodded and they all headed in separate directions.  
  
Tori barely spoke on the ride back to her apartment. The guys had brought everything over and were waiting for them to return. What they saw when they arrived wasn't he same happy, bubbly Tori that left them three months ago, but rather a very sad, sickly looking stranger.  
  
She looked very tired and unbeknownst to them, Tori had been feeling ill for the past week or so. The fight hadn't helped it. She hadn't eaten anything since she left and felt absolutely miserable.  
  
Shane opened the door to the apartment and Tori instantly burst into tears again when she saw the others waiting for her. 'My family,' she thought. 'Our family.' She began to crumble and Dustin caught her before she fell to the ground.  
  
The others didn't say much as Tori clung to Dustin for support. "It's okay Tor," he whispered into her hair. "Why are you home so early?"  
  
Tori composed herself. She knew she had to tell them. "Blake and I got into a fight and here I am," she stated plainly. "He cares more about his stupid bike than he does me, or any of you. He's forgotten who he is and I couldn't stand it anymore." Hunter reached forward this time and took Tori into his arms.  
  
Out of all the guys she had spoken to him the most, as he was trying to get in touch with his brother.  
  
"I know what you had to do was hard, but hopefully it'll knock some sense into my little bro."  
  
Tori sniffled and hugged him. "I hope so Hunter...I really do."  
  
(((())))  
  
Weeks passed and Tori wasn't getting much better. She had become thin and her skin was a sickly white. Everyone was worried about her, but no one more than Blake.  
  
He had since left for Europe and hadn't spoken to anyone about what happened. He tried hundreds of times to call her and talk, but he always found himself putting the phone down in shame.  
  
In the two months he had been in Europe, he came to realize that she was right...about everything. He had forgotten who he was and now he was paying for it dearly. It was when he was packing for Europe that he came to this realization.  
  
He found his thunderblade tucked away in a closet along with his uniform and diploma. Tori was right- being a ninja had brought him everything. A family, a new life, and a love that he feared he would never have again.  
  
Everything was so messed up in his life and he knew that he had brought it all upon himself. His racing was suffering as well as his spirits. Things were not getting better as he had once thought.  
  
Every day that passed, every night he had to spend alone in his cold bed made his heart break a little more until he couldn't take it anymore.  
  
He walked into Roger's office and placed a letter down on the table. Roger took it and looked it over.  
  
"You do realize what you're doing right Blake?" he asked. "By giving me this letter you're no longer eligible to race for us...ever."  
  
Blake breathed deep. "Yes. I'm sure Roger. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and everything, but I just...I can't spend any more time away from my family."  
  
Roger stood from his desk and shook Blake's hand. "We're going to miss you around here."  
  
Blake smiled and thanked him again before leaving for the airport. His things were already packed and ready to go. His flight was leaving from London and he hurried to reclaim his love.  
  
He didn't call anyone and tell them he was coming home...  
  
(((())))  
  
Tori was at the academy putting the practice equipment away when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. It had happened a few other times during the day, but his was the worst one yet.  
  
"Tor?" she turned and saw a worried Cam looking over her shoulder. "You alright?"  
  
Tori straightened. "Cramps," she said plainly.  
  
"O-k...I'll stay away from that one," he said laughing a little. Tori smiled and closed the lid on the box that contained the other tools.  
  
"You're coming over to Hunter's place tonight with the others, right?" she asked. Since she returned, the rangers spent every Thursday night at Hunter's watching TV and just hanging out.  
  
"Of course," he responded.  
  
A little while later everyone was seated around the living room watching re-runs of the X-Games. "Man did you see that Superman to the no hander landing?! That was sick!" Dustin exclaimed.  
  
"What about the Heel kicker no hander? That was pretty good too," Hunter said.  
  
Tori and Shane sat on the couch with Cam and just laughed at their buddies. This was the way it should always be. Everyone together...happy.  
  
"Ouch," Tori said as a cramp came over her.  
  
The guys all snapped out of their TV trance and turned to their female teammate.  
  
"You okay?" Hunter asked. Tori winced and held her abdomen.  
  
"I...I think so," she said shakily. She suddenly felt nauseous and made a beeline for the bathroom.  
  
"Whoa...what's up with her?" Dustin asked.  
  
"She told me earlier she had cramps," Cam supplied. All the guys instantly cringed. Soon retching was heard coming from the bathroom and they all felt sorry for Tori.  
  
Hunter rose from his seat to go check on her when his phone rang. He picked it up and was silent for a moment. Shane looked at Hunter and suddenly saw his face color drain.  
  
"Are you sure?" Hunter asked as his chin began to tremble. Shane, Dustin and Cam were all standing by now and were waiting for Hunter to tell them what was going on. "But that's impossible...he's riding with Factory Blue Racing in London and...he did... oh God," Hunter dropped the phone and sank to the ground.  
  
Shane went and reached for Hunter while Cam picked up the phone. "I'm sorry Mr. Bradley," the operator on the other end said as she hung up. Cam hung the ohne up and turned to Shane and a stunned Hunter.  
  
"Hunter, what's up?" Shane asked.  
  
"Uh, guys," Dustin said. Shane and Cam turned their attention to the TV where a special report was being given.  
  
"...Flight 695 took off from London earlier this afternoon and failed to clear the runway, sending the craft into the waters of the Atlantic... we have just received word here at the sports desk that on board that flight was up and coming Motocross star Blake Bradley. As of right now there are no reported survivors... Our thoughts and prayers go out to Blake's family and loved ones..."  
  
A gasp came from the hallway and Dustin turned to see Tori. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell to the ground in a heap. Shane stayed with Hunter while Dustin and Cam ran over to the unconscious Tori.  
  
Dustin cradled her head in his lap while Cam checked her pulse. They too were stunned by the news and were tying their best to find a way to stay calm. Cam's face frowned.  
  
"Her pulse is really weak," he said. Dustin picked her up and Cam thought he would pass out. "Dustin...there's blood on the floor..."  
  
"Oh my god," Dustin said. There was a small spot of blood on the floor where Tori lay. "Dude, we have to get her to a hospital."  
  
Hunter and Shane by now had joined them and soon after an ambulance arrived to take Tori...  
  
Meanwhile...back in England...  
  
"No identification on him at all?" a nurse asked. Another nodded. "How did he ever come to wash up on the shore like that?"  
  
"I don't know, but he doesn't seem to want to wake up anytime soon." In front of them lay a man with Bandages wrapped around his scraped arms and portions of his face.  
  
"Well, let's just hope we can find out who he is before it's too late..." 


	8. family ties

A/N: Alrighty folks. I'm so glad you all left such great reviews for the last chapter! I won't leave you in suspense any longer...well, maybe a little longer...   
  
(((())))   
  
"How long has she been in there?" Shane asked impatiently. Cam was sitting nearby. Dustin opted to stay with Hunter until they heard anything about Blake.  
  
"Almost an hour now," Cam replied. Everything seemed to go by in slow motion for them. One of their best friends was presumed dead while the other was lying helplessly down the hall from them.  
  
"Shane Clarke?"  
  
The guys all turned their heads and saw a tall female doctor walking towards them. She sat down with them.  
  
"Tori's stable right now but we had to give her something to stop her contractions," the doctor said.  
  
Shane felt lightheaded. "Contractions?" he got out. The doctor looked over her notes.  
  
"Yes...according to the ultrasound she's nearing the twelfth week of her pregnancy."  
  
"Oh my god..." Cam muttered. The doctor's expression was a little shocked.  
  
"She didn't tell you?"  
  
"I don't even think she knows," Shane said. "Is she awake?"  
  
The doctor's face turned red. "No...I thought she knew...We'll have to wait until she wakes up." The doctor then led them down to Tori's room where Tori was sleeping soundly. "I'll be back to check on her shortly."  
  
The only sound after that was the sound of the monitors...  
  
(((())))  
  
Nearly a week passed and Tori was slowly recovering. The news of the pregnancy was a shock to her, but a happy one. They still had no word as to what happened to Blake. His body had not been recovered yet, but everyone thought him dead. Everyone but Tori.  
  
Hunter had begun to lose hope. The news that his brother would have a child cheered him a little, but the more time that passed, the more he thought his brother wasn't coming back. He sat with Tori as her final examination was taking place.  
  
The pregnancy was turning out to be a way in which Tori and Hunter still had a piece of Blake with them, and they clung to that like a life raft. For the first time in months Tori took a good look at her abdomen and saw a definite roundness that she had failed to notice.  
  
"Hunter?" Tori asked. Hunter looked into her tired eyes and gave her a small smile.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you heard anything yet?"  
  
Hunter's head fell. "No...nothing yet. Tomorrow will be a week..." Tori reached out and placed his hand and hers on her stomach.  
  
"He's not gone Hunter...not completely." Hunter smiled then. Everyone would get through this...all they could do was hope...  
  
((((()))))  
  
"You really think it could be him?" a doctor said. Another doctor nodded in agreement.  
  
"Look at the picture and look at our John Doe. He's the only one unaccounted for from that crash last week, and the similarities are astounding." The nurse looked at a picture of a young man, Asian looking, with tanned skin and black hair.  
  
"I think you're right."  
  
"I'll contact the family. See if we can get a match. What's the name?"  
  
"Bradley...Blake Bradley."  
  
(((())))  
  
Hunter dropped Tori off at her apartment. The moment she was inside, she went into her room and lay down in her bed. For all the sleeping she had done in the hospital, she still craved the comfort of her own bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep.  
  
She was walking along the seashore on a bright sunny day. She looked down to her side and smiled at the blonde haired, brown eyed little boy that held her hand. They continued walking until the little boy broke away and ran towards a figure in the distance.  
  
'Daddy!' he cried.  
  
Tori eyes opened wide and she sat up, resting a hand on her stomach.  
  
Not too far away Hunter was checking his messages.  
  
"Mr. Bradley, I'm calling from St. Lucas' hospital in England. We have a patient here that we believe is your brother, Blake."  
  
Hunter listened to the rest of the message and ran as fast as he could to Tori's apartment and banged on the door.  
  
A sleepy eyed Tori opened the door to find Hunter. "They think they found him." Tori's eyes spilled over with joy. "We have to go to England, like, now." Tori nodded in agreement and they called the others. They all caught the first flight they could. Their family was coming back together...  
  
(((())))  
  
Blake was in a fog. A deep, dense, grey fog. He stood up and looked around. Everything was the same. 'Where am I?' he asked himself.  
  
"With us."  
  
Blake turned and saw a figure in front of him. "Mom?" he asked. The woman with curly hair nodded and Blake embraced her. They broke away and tears were in his eyes.  
  
"Am I...am I dead?" he asked nervously. His mother waved her hand and the fog parted a little to reveal a view of Blake lying in a hospital bed unconscious.  
  
"You're not dead, Blake...but you are in a coma."  
  
Blake's mind was a jumble. The last thing he remembered was the plane shaking violently and then a large jolt that sent him flying from his seat. He hit his head on something and was knocked out instantly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"There was an accident. As of right now, there are only a few survivors...you being one of them."  
  
Blake looked down at the figure of himself and saw the name on the chart. "But they don't even know it's me!" he cried frustrated. "What if I die and Hunter never finds me? Or Tori?"  
  
"Calm down son," a difference voice said. Blake turned and saw his father standing in front of him. "Hunter will find you...you just have to hold on."  
  
Blake took a deep breath and hugged his father. "Thanks Dad, but how can you be so sure?"  
  
"Because your family is on their way to find you right now," he said.  
  
Blake felt tears welling up in his eyes. They were all coming ot find him...his family... A thought then hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
"But how will they ID me? Hunter and I aren't biological brothers, and my birth certificate was in my luggage," he said as he sank to his knees. "They can say it's me, but they won't have any concrete evidence...what if I don't wake up?"  
  
"Blake, their will be someone who can prove who you are...Someone that has the same blood as you...someone that is you in a way," his mother said as she motioned back to the image of him lying on the bed.  
  
(((())))  
  
"Here he is," the doctor said to Tori and the others as they entered the room. The guys all had a light hold of Tori in a way as they walked towards the man on the bed.  
  
There were bandages on his face and a few tubes in his arms, but there was no mistaking it...this was Blake.  
  
"Oh thank God," Tori said as she broke away from the others and reached for his hand. Tears poured down her face as the others breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Hunter was in tears as well and the guys were all hugging in a happy celebration.  
  
"Bro...Blake, it's Hunter," Hunter said.  
  
The nurses in the room were also moved to tears at the happy reunion. "It's good to see family around," the doctor said. "Right now Blake is in a comatose state, much as he has been for the past week or so." Everyone in the room grew sad again, but they had him back. "Keep talking to him. He may be able to hear you."  
  
The doctor left then and the rangers all stood around Blake's bed in a sort of circle. Tori sat by his side and held his hand in her left. Shane stood next to her, followed by Cam, Dustin, and finally Hunter who had a hold of Blake's left hand.  
  
"We're all here Blake... come back to us," Tori whispered to him. "We're all joined as one in more way than you think. We're not going to let you leave us." 


	9. awakening

Tori sat by Blake's side for the third straight day in a row. The guys had found a hotel and were in and out most of the time. Hunter was in frequently, but was handling all of the legal stuff. The doctor's believed that he was his brother, but they had no concrete proof and couldn't release him when he woke up without it.  
  
"We need to know for sure that he is who you all say he is," a doctor told Hunter. "A birth certificate, an adoption certificate...anything like that."  
  
Hunter sighed. "He had all that stuff with him when the plane went down."  
  
The doctor looked into the room where Blake and Tori were. "Did I hear correctly that Ms. Hanson is pregnant?" Hunter nodded his head. "And it's Blake's?" Again Hunter nodded. A small smile came over her face. "I think I may have a way to prove your brother's identity when he wakes up."  
  
Hunter grinned and they entered the room.  
  
"I know you can't answer me Blake, but that doesn't mean you can't hear me," Tori said to Blake. He looked so peaceful...like he was asleep after a long day at the track.  
  
"Ms. Hanson?" Tori turned her head to the doctor. "How far along are you in your pregnancy?"  
  
Tori looked at her questioningly. "Thirteen weeks," she said turning her head back to Blake. "Have you thought of how we're going to handle this when he wakes up? I want him home with us..."  
  
The doctor sat down with her and checked Blake's vitals. "Actually we have." Tori smiled. "But we need you for it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, when you reach fifteen weeks we can perform a procedure called an amniocentesis. Take some of the fluid in your uterus and compare it to Blake. If they match then there's nothing to dispute that fact that this is in fact Blake."  
  
Tori grew nervous for a moment. Her hand drifted down to her belly. "Will it hurt my baby?" she asked.  
  
"There have been some complications reported with the procedure, but I can assure you that I will make sure nothing happens to you or the baby...it's the best thing for Blake."  
  
Tori looked over to Blake and gave him a small smile. "He doesn't even know yet."  
  
"He will when he wakes up," the doctor said. At that Tori's face brightened with the optimism of the doctor.  
  
"Alright."  
  
(((())))  
  
Blake stood with his parents. In the passing days he had begun to notice a change in Tori. His parents were being very secretive about how Blake's identity was going to be revealed. 'My own blood... there's no one...' he thought as he looked down at himself.  
  
Tori was once again by his side. It was in this way that he found her most of the time. All he wanted to do was get down there, hold her in his arms, and apologize to her for everything that happened.  
  
Blake saw the doctor enter and saw Tori stand. It was in that moment that he realized what all the cryptic talk between his parents had been about. He looked closely at Tori. Her shirt was tighter on her and he noticed a very small roundness to her abdomen.  
  
"Oh...my...god," he stammered. He turned to his parents with a shocked look on his face. They only smiled and watched their son look down upon his child and the woman he loved.  
  
Blake didn't move from his spot for nearly two weeks straight. He would watch as Hunter, Shane, Dustin, and Cam would filter in and out...but Tori never left. He saw Hunter come in and take her spot. Tori leaned down and kissed Blake's cheek.  
  
'I love you.'  
  
Blake was in awe...he heard her. Something was happening to him...  
  
(((())))  
  
"It's okay Tor," Shane whispered to her as the doctor finished the procedure. A large needle had been inserted into her abdomen and was now filled with the precious fluid that would help bring Blake home with them. Tori was put in the same room as Blake as she recovered for the rest of the day.  
  
Blake's condition had improved seemingly overnight. This gave everyone great hope and they refused to leave him or Tori.  
  
The guys were all in the room well into the night. Hunter and Dustin had fallen asleep and Shane and Cam were on their way into slumber as well.  
  
Tori placed her hand on her baby and looked over at Blake. When she was sure the others were all asleep she carefully removed herself from the bed and sat on Blake's. She ran her fingers along his face and held his hand with her other one.  
  
"When you wake up, I have something to tell you," she said as tears began to gather in her eyes. "I have a few things to tell you...like how much I miss you...and how much I love you...and how sorry I am that I left you." At the last words her eyes spilled over.  
  
(((())))  
  
Blake looked down at himself. He heard everything Tori said. "Oh Tor...I'm sorry too," he said. He reached out to her and felt tears welling up in his eyes. His parents stood nearby and smiled at him.  
  
"Blake...it's time," his father said.  
  
Blake then found himself encased in a blue light. The fog around him turned to black and his parents faded out into the darkness. Slowly he began to hear something... a soft beeping noise. Then he heard faint snoring, and finally he heard her...  
  
"I'm so sorry Blake," Tori whispered.  
  
"Tori..."  
  
Tori's eyes flew open and her tears paused. She thought she was hearing things. For a moment she thought she heard Blake.  
  
"Blake? Blake," she pleaded. She looked at him and his eyes slowly opened. Tori smiled then as fresh tears of joy came to her eyes. "Blake," she said softly.  
  
Blake adjusted his eyes to the light and found himself gazing upon the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. "Tori," he breathed. Tori was at a loss for words for the first time in her life. Blake was still groggy, but managed to get out the words he had wanted to say for so long. "I'm sorry."  
  
Tori smiled and caressed his face. "Oh Blake...I love you." She leaned down and gave him a small kiss on his cheek.  
  
Blake reached his hand slowly up and touched her face. Tori couldn't hold back her emotions any longer and openly began to sob in joy. Blake's hand slowly traveled down her face and neck to rest on her abdomen.  
  
"I love you," Blake said as he closed his eyes smiling. Tori smiled  
and felt the Most wonderful she had ever experienced... her baby moved.  
  
Tori caressed his face and Hunter was awoken by her cry. He walked over to her. "Tor? What are you doing out of bed?" he asked.  
  
Tori almost forgot that the others were in the room with her. "Hunter... he's awake," she croaked. Hunter's eyes brimmed with tears as he looked at his little brother. Blake's eyes slowly opened and he gave Hunter a small smile.  
  
"Bro," Blake said. Hunter let tears of Joy loose and grabbed his hand. Tori wiped her eyes and saw that the others were beginning to wake as well.  
  
"Hunter?" Shane asked as he rubbed his eyes.  
  
Hunter just grinned and motioned them over. "He's up."  
  
(((())))  
  
"I thought I lost you," Blake whispered to Tori. He was moved into the recovery ward where he was given a private room. The results of Tori's amnio came through and as soon as he was well enough he would be going home with his family.  
  
The doctors were all amazed that he had recovered from his coma so quickly, but they were thrilled to see him improving.  
  
Tori was sitting on his bed with him, gently running her hand through his hair. His hand was on her stomach and he couldn't stop smiling. "I should never have left," she said.  
  
"No Tor... you were right... about everything. I forgot who I was and it cost me you...both of you."  
  
Tori gave him a weak smile. "I didn't find out until after I came home. When we got the call from Roger about you..." she trailed off as tears came over her again.  
  
Blake held her close and kissed her forehead. "I'm here now, and I promise that I won't ever leave you... ever."  
  
Tori looked into his eyes and kissed him gently on the lips. The passion behind it was there and they both savored the moment. Blake knew he meant what he said.  
  
"I'm serious Tor. I don't want to leave you...ever." Tori looked into his deep brown eyes and felt her heart race. "Will you have me forever?"  
  
Tori gave him a teary smile and nodded her head. "Forever," she said as they kissed again. 


	10. Living

"Alright... alright... yes Kelly. I'll be there bright and early... night." Blake flipped his phone shut and sighed happily as he turned the ignition to the van off. He had been at the track for the afternoon preparing for the race he had tomorrow.  
  
He opened the door to his dark house and shut it behind him. His helmet was placed in its rightful spot next to Tori's surfboard. It had been a long six months since he returned home.  
  
His recovery was slow, but with Tori and the others' help, he was home living his life the way it should be.  
  
A light could be seen at the top of the stairs and he softly walked up to find his bedroom door open. Looking inside he saw the sight in the world that made him thankful to be alive...  
  
Tori was lying on her back, asleep, with his three month old son on her chest. A pacifier was in his mouth and he too was sleeping soundly. Blake made his way into the room and bent down to take his son.  
  
Tori's left hand was resting on the baby's back and Blake carefully lifted it off the tiny body before lifting him into his arms. A large smile crossed his lips when he saw the ring on Tori's finger. It was almost an exact replica of the one he had gotten her before... before the plane crash.  
  
Everything he had that day was lost...everything except his life... and for that he was eternally grateful.  
  
Now, as he held his son in his arms and looked down on his new wife, he truly felt blessed for being brought back to them. He couldn't imagine his life any different than it was now.  
  
He raced with Kelly and Hunter under his own terms and things kept getting better for everyone.  
  
The baby opened his brown eyes and looked at Blake through sleepy blonde lashes. He looked like a miniature version of Blake, with the exception of his light hair and his skin was a bit lighter than Blake's as well.  
  
"It's okay Kai... I got you," he whispered to him. They had decided to name him Kai, meaning 'ocean' for his mother. His middle name was Hunter after his Uncle.  
  
Tori stirred on the bed and opened her eyes to find her husband and son walking around the room. She smiled at her two men and just watched as Blake walked around gently swinging their son into slumber.  
  
She looked down at her hand and sighed happily. Their wedding was nearly two weeks ago, but she still felt like it was the first day. Everything was so perfect. She and Blake were wed on the beach with all their friends in attendance.  
  
Blake had held Kai throughout the ceremony and together they were joined as a family. She looked over at Blake when she heard her son begin to whimper.  
  
"He misses his mama," she said as she sat up. Blake turned around and smiled at her. He walked over and handed Kai back to her as he kissed her cheek.  
  
"I did too," he said. Tori giggled and kissed him on the lips lightly. Kai almost instantly fell asleep again. She turned to Blake and smiled triumphantly. Blake hung his head in mock defeat. "You win."  
  
Tori kissed him a little deeper than before and he placed a hand on her cheek. His thumb ran along her jaw. "I love you," he said.  
  
She leaned her forehead against his. "I love you too," she replied. Blake leaned in and kissed her passionately. Tori broke away suddenly and rose from the bed. Blake laid down and watched as Tori walked out of the room and placed Kai in his bassinet. The door that connected the two rooms was left open a crack as Tori came back to Blake.  
  
She climbed into bed with him and he held her close. Blake leaned over to his nightstand and turned the light out. They lay there softly kissing and caressing until they fell asleep in each other's arms...  
  
THE END  
  
AN: Thank you to all those that reviewed! I write these for you and you make me so happy!  
  
Now I have a favor to ask of you all. I have received several requests for continuations on my stories, and I have decided to give the people what they want. But I need to know what story you would like to see a continuation of. Whichever story receives the most votes by JUNE 29, 2004 at MIDNIGHT will have a sequel written to it. Have fun and let me know!  
  
Tori Bradley 


End file.
